Airship



Oct. 9, 1928.

v J. S. ABREU AIRSHIP Filed April 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IHVENTOR JOAQUIN 5. ABREU.

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Oct. 9, 1928.

J. S. ABREU AIRSHIP 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 12, 1927 IHVEHTOR JOAQUIN 5- ABREU Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

, UNITED STATES JOAQUIN SILVEIRA ABI tEU, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA,

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Application filed April 12, 1927. Serial No. 183,113.

My invention relates to improvements in air ships wherein a plurality of propelling units, detachably, pivotally and rotatably suspended from a dirigible balloon forming a part of the air ship, operate in conjunction with said dirigible to provide an air ship whose propelling units may detach themselves and operate independently of said air ship.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved air ship.

Another object is to provide an improved air ship having more efficient means of control, such as a shorter turning radius.

A further object is to provide an improved device of the character set forth wherein a greater efficiency isprovided.

A still further object is to provide an air ship of the dirigible balloon type propelled and controlled by a plurality of detachable aeroplanes or propelling units, each of which is adapted to operate in conjunction with the other aeroplanes or units in propelling and controlling the air ship and also adapted to operate as an aeroplane independently of said airship and also of the other aeroplanes or propelling units.

A still further object-is to provide in effect a mother ship arranged to carry a plurality of aeroplanes, any one of which may not only operate separately and independently of the ship and the other aeroplanes carried thereby, but whereby a temporarily disabled plane may be carried safely, repaired or refueled, or replenished with provisions, munition of war, or other material.

A still further object is to provide a new and improved air ship having improved means for accelerating an ascent.

A still further object is to provide an air ship having a plurality of aeroplanes or propelling units pivotally and rotatably suspended therefrom whereby said units may be rotated relatively to said air ship to warp opposite ends of the same in opposite directions and thereby shorten the steering or turning radius of said ship; or to head all of said units into the wind to prevent excessive drift.

A still further object is to provide improved means for permitting the launching of an aeroplane from the ship only when said aeroplane is headed downwardly and away from the ship.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the preferred form of the invention disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present application wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts through said application and drawings, and in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved air ship.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a broken front elevation, partly in section and on a larger scale, disclosing the manner in which one of the aeroplanes or propelling units is detachably, pivotally and rpltatably suspended from the keel of the air s 1p.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, part1 in section, of Fig. 3, disclosing the means or preventing detachment of the aeroplane from the air ship while said aeroplane is on an even kee or parallel wi h the air shin.

Fig. 5 is a broken detailed view disclosing the mechanism for preventing the aeroplane from turning on its horizontal pivot; and

Fig. 6 is a broken detailed view of a. portion of the control elements or members on one of the aeroplanes.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate in general a dirigibl balloon portion of an air ship having the usual horizontal and vertical rudders 2 and 3, respectively, and a keel 4 on the lower surface or side thereof. The rudders 2 and 3 are provided with theusual controls 5 and 6, respectively, terminating at the keel 4 and each connected to opposite ends of double bell-cranks 7, in turn connected to rings 8 rotatably mounted within grooved sleeves 9, in turn rotatably mounted upon pivots or shafts 10 arranged below and laterally to the air ship 1 or keel thereof. There is a plurality of these lateral pivots or shafts 10 arranged along the keel 4, as disclosed in Fig. 2 of the drawings, one for each aeroplane'or propelling unit to be suspended. The shafts or pivots 10 are keyed within their respective brackets 12 by means of suitable keys 14, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, so as to prevent rotation of said shafts or pivots 10, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

Pivot-ally mounted upon each shaft or pivot 10 is what I term a block 16 having two parallel beads117" arranged parallel with the air shi s keel4, or fore and aft, which beads are sli ably engaged by grooves 18 within a plate 19. The grooves 18 are provided with diverging ends at the front end of the plate 19 while the rear ends of the beads 17 are beveled to facilitate entrance of said beads 17 into said grooves 18 when the aeroplane is being engaged by a pinion 28 rotatably mounted upon the aeroplane 26 and having a shaft 29 extending downwardly and into the cabin or body of the aeroplane 26 and provided at its lower end-with any suitable mechanism, not shown, for rotating orpreventing rotation of the same, the purpose of which will liereinafter be more fully set forth.

In order to provide a readily detachable mechanism which will automatically unite with and separate from the rudder or other controls on the dirigible balloon 1 when -a plane engages or disengages the air ship, and at the same time to provide a control mechanism which will not be operated or effected when the position of the plane relatively to the air ship is changed, I have provided a pair of bell cranks 31 pivotally mounted upon the plate 19 and each having one arm detachably engaging an annular groove 11 in the sleeves 9 on the shaft 10, which sleeves 9 are connected to the separate horizontal and-vertical rudders 2 and 3, respectively, as hereinbefore described.

The opposite ends of the bell-cranks 31 are each connected to separate tubes or sleeves 33 and 34, respectively, and on opposite sides thereof, the sleeve 34 having a cutaway portion at the top thereof whereby either sleeve 33 or 34 may be operated independently of the other and without interference to manipulate either rudder control The sleeves 33 and 34 pass downwardly into the cabin or gondola or aeroplane 26 and may there be secured against the movement or controlled by means of any suitable mechanism, not shown. By moving either sleeve 33 or 34 1 longitudinally its respective rudder control will respond through the medium of the respective bell crank 31, sleeve 9, bell crank 7 and rudder controls 5 and 6, as the case may be.

Within the inner sleeve 34 I have slidably mounted a rod 36 having a serrated or tooth portion 37 arranged to normally engage the toothed portion 38 of a sector 39 keyed or otherwise rigidly secured upon the shaft 10, the purpose of which is to prevent pivotal movement of the block 16 upon the pivot or shaft 10 thereby preventing normally a pivotal movement of the aeroplane 26 suspended from said shaft, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more fully set forth. 1 In operation, an aeroplane 26 is positioned rearwardly of its respective plate or suspension device and then moved forwardly until the diverging ends of the grooves 18 of the plate 19 are engaged by the beveled rear end of the beads 17 of the block 16 and the whole moved forward until the upper ends of the bell cranks 31 register with the annular grooves 11 of the sleeves 9 on the shaft 10.

During this forward movement the serrated or toothed portion 37 of the member 36 is depressed until the bell cranks 31 register with the annular grooves 11 and said toothed portion 37 is then moved into engagement with the toothed portion 38 of the disc or sector 39 thereby preventing pivotal movement of the block 16 upon the pivot or shaft 10 whereby the aeroplane 26 suspended therefrom is normally retained in a horizontal position.

When it is desired to ascend with the air ship the aeroplanes 26, operating as propelling units, are headed upwardly in order to facilitate ascent of said air ship by releasing the toothed member 37 from the toothed sector 7 39 and the control of the aeroplane is operated in the usual manner to head said aeroplanes upwardly. v

In order to prevent disengagement of said aeroplanes from their respective blocks 16 during such pivotal movement, an arcuate member 41 is rigidly mounted directly in front of the shaft or pivot 10 and the beads 17 of the block 16 and is arranged concentric so that when the propelling force of the aeroplane 26v is applied or actuated the said arcuate member 41 will prevent disengagement'of the plate 19, from which the aeroplane is rotatably suspended, from the block 16. This arcuate member 41 depends through a sufficient are below the horizontal center of the shaft or pivotal point 10 toretain the aeroplane in engaging relation with the air ship until said aeroplane is headed downwardly or away from the air ship so that said aeroplane may not be disengaged or launched until it is arcuate member 41 when the plate 19 will be separated from the block 16 and the upper ends of the bell cranks 31 will automatically be disengaged from the annular grooves 11 of the sleeves 10, and the aeroplane will be launched away from the air ship.

When in flight, if it is desired to manipulate the rudder controls 5 and 6 of the air ship the sleeves or tubular members 33 or 34 may be actuated by any .suitable mechanism to, in turn, actuate either bell crank 31 and thereby operate its respective-sleeve 9, double bell crank 7 and through the proper rudder control 5 and 6 to the rudder 2 or 3, as the case may be.

Also, when in flight, if it is desired to turn the air ship rapidly or otherwise 'to change its-position or prevent side drift in a stiff gale, the aeroplanes may all be turned in the same direction against the wind to the proper degree by rotating the stem or shaft 29 of the pinion 28 which, engaging the gear 27 on the slidable block 19 will rotate the aeroplanes on a vertical pivot or center until said aeroplanes are headed in the required direction. Or, in order to more efficiently or rapidly turn the air ship from its course, difi'erent aeroplanes may be turned in different direction, in conjunction with the rudder controls of the air ship, similarly to tugs warping a steamer into or out of her berth.

\ It is obvious that the dirigible balloon 1 will support a number of'aeroplanes 26 at a lower speed than aeroplane sustaining speed and, consequently, a number of aeroplanes may remain inoperative, as far as propulsive efiort is concerned, and held in reserve until the objective of the air ship is reached when they may be launched to operate independently for any purpose.

It is also obvious that in case of danger or damage to the dirigible balloon 1 the aero planes may be launched to convey the crews and aeroplanes to safety, thereby preventing a loss of life and loss of the entire power units.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a i

1. The combination of an air ship, comprising a dirigible balloon, of a plurality of aeroplanes detachably, pivotally and rotatably connected tosaid balloon whereby the same may be propelled and controlled by said aeroplanes, and said aeroplanes may be detached from and operated independently ofi said balloon; and means for rotating each aeroplane on a vertical axisrelatively to the balloon and independently of the other aeroplanes, to facilitate control of said dirigible balloon.

2. The combination of an air ship, comprising a dirigible balloon,of a plurality of aeroplanes detachably and pivotally connected to said balloon whereby the same may be propelled by said aeroplanes and whereby said aeroplanes may be detached from said balloon and operated independently of said balloon; and means for permitting detachment of any aeroplane onl when the same is headed downward an away from said balloon.

3. The combination of an air ship, compris ing a dirigible balloon, of a plurality of aero planes; means for detachably and pivotally suspending said aeroplanes, independently of each other, from said balloon, whereby the same may be propelled and controlled b said aeroplanes, and whereby one or all 0 said aeroplanes may be detached from said balloon and operated independently of said balloon and of each other; and means for. permitting detachment of any aeroplane from said balloon only when said aeroplane is headed downwardly and away'from said balloon.

4. The combination of an air ship, comprising a dirigible balloon, of a plurality of aeroplanes; means for detachably and pivotally suspending said aeroplanes, independently of each other, from said balloon, whereby the same may be propelled and controlled by said aeroplanes, and whereby one or all of said aeroplanes may be detached from said balloon and operated independently of said balloon and of each other; means for permittin de ta'chment of any aeroplane Irom said ba loon only when said aeroplane is headed downwardly and away from said balloon; and means for rotating any of said aeroplanes horizontally to facilitate steering of said balloon.

5. The combination of an air ship, comprising a dirigible balloon, of a plurality of lateral and horizontal pivots suspended from said balloon; a block pivotally suspended from each pivot; a plurality of aerpplanes; a plate rotatably mountedupon each aeroplane and arranged to slidably engage the block on each pivot; means for rotating each aeroplane on its respective .plate'; and means for preventing pivotal movement of each block on its respective pivot.

6. The combination ofan air ship, comprising a dirigible balloon, of a plurality of lateral-and horizontal pivots suspended from said balloon; a block pivotally suspended from each pivot; a plurality of aeroplanes; a

plate rotatably mounted upon each aeroplane and arranged to slidably engage the block on each pivot ;,means for rotating each aeroplane with each block and arranged to permit disengagement of its respective plate only when its aeroplane is headed downwardly and away from the balloon.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my Sig nature.

'JoA UIN SILVEIRA ABREU.

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